S. Donald Stookey died this month at the age of 99. He will be remembered for his invention of a new category of materials called synthetic glass ceramics. Stookey will also be remembered as an exemplar of the everyday hard work and collaboration from which great innovations come.

While some Main Streets seem well past their prime, others remain thriving to this day. Why? A lot of it has to do with the towns and cities in which they are located, of course; it's hard to have a well-functioning Main Street in a down-and-out community. But there are also elements of design and context that matter.